Viola Desmond was brought up in a large family with 10 siblings. Viola Irene Desmond (July 6, 1914 – February 7, 1965) was a Canadian civil rights activist and businesswoman of Black Nova Scotian descent. Early Life of Viola Desmond. Throughout the trial, Desmond was not provided with legal representation or informed that she was entitled to any. She was then held in a cell overnight. The cashier refused, saying, “I’m sorry but I’m not permitted to sell downstairs tickets to you people.” Realizing that the cashier was referring to the colour of her skin, Desmond decided to take a seat on the main floor anyway. Viola Desmond's family was made up of her parents and 10 siblings. To pass the time while waiting, she went to see The Dark Mirror[14] starring Olivia de Havilland at the Roseland Film Theatre. Desmond's case is one of the most publicized incidents of racial discrimination in Canadian history and helped start the modern civil rights movement in Canada. In the early part of the 20th century, with the advent of new hair styles that demanded special product and maintenance, and an emphasis on fashion trends and personal grooming, beauty parlours offered opportunities for female entrepreneurs. by s201079040_63192. The video features Kandyse McClure as Viola Desmond. Although racism was not officially entrenched in Canadian society, Black persons in Canada, and certainly in Nova Scotia, were aware that an unwritten code constrained their lives. (See also Prejudice and Discrimination.). After the Supreme Court decision, legal action on the matter stopped. In April 2019, the $10 bill featuring Desmond won the International Bank Note Society’s Banknote of the Year Award for 2018. It also features a map of the North End of Halifax, where Desmond lived and worked, and an excerpt from the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination.” The Canadian Museum of Human Rights is featured on the back of the bill. Viola Desmond (1914-1965) Early Life Viola Desmond was born thin Nova Scotia July 6 , 1914, to James and Gwendolin Davis, which was her maiden name. Viola Desmond died on February 7, 1965 while on a visit to New York City. Born on July 6, 1914, Viola Irene Desmond had nine siblings. [8] Viola grew up with her grandparents who were active in the black community in Halifax, Nova Scotia, despite the fact that her mother was white and her father black, unusual for the time. Viola Desmond Public School. Wanda Robson, who is Viola Desmond's youngest sister, recalls the many accounts she's heard over her 90 years from her older siblings. [9] Desmond was kept in jail overnight and was never informed about her right to legal advice, a lawyer, or bail.[13][15]. [35], In 2000, Desmond and other Canadian civil rights activists were the subject of a National Film Board of Canada documentary Journey to Justice. Sometimes the limits were difficult to foresee. On the evening of November 8, 1946, Viola Desmond’s car broke down. FUN FACTS Who is Viola? Played 13 times. [15], Google's July 6, 2018 Doodle, created by Google artist Sophie Diao, celebrates the life and legacy of Viola Desmond, and was distributed across Canada. Viola Desmond Biography – Viola Desmond Wiki. In January 2018, she was named a National Historic Person by the Canadian government. She later married Jack Desmond. As the 10-day deadline for filing an appeal to the original conviction had passed, the conviction stood. 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